Michelle Obama espouses Barack’s human side at Democratic conference

US first lady
Michelle Obama gave a typically passionate defence of her husband Barack’s four years in office and made the case for another term in the White House as she opened the Democratic National Convention.

Michelle Obama made the case for her husband to win another four-year term (Picture: Reuters)

Mrs Obama’s speech at the end of the first night of the three-day convention was warmly received by delegates in Charlotte, North Carolina.

She spoke about President Obama’s humble background and how he put normal Americans’ concerns at the top of his agenda.

‘That’s the man I see in those quiet moments late at night, hunched over his desk, poring over the letters people have sent him,’ Mrs Obama said.

‘I see the concern in his eyes… and I hear the determination in his voice as he tells me, “You won’t believe what these folks are going through, Michelle. it’s not right. We’ve got to keep working to fix this. We’ve got so much more to do”.’

The first lady did not mention President Obama’s challenger at the polls, Republican Mitt Romney, by name, but did infer that the former Massachusetts governor is a rich businessman who is out of touch with everyday concerns.

She said four years in the Oval Office had not changed President Obama.

‘He’s the same man who started his career by turning down high-paying jobs and instead working in struggling neighbourhoods where a steel plant had shut down, fighting to rebuild those communities,’ Mrs Obama said.

Michelle Obama’s speech drew the first day of the Democratic National Convention to a close (Picture: Reuters)

Polls have shown President Obama and Mr Romney are neck-and-neck ahead of November’s election although the former governor did not enjoy the traditional bounce after last week’s Republican convention.

Vice-president Joe Biden and former president Bill Clinton are set to give speeches in Charlotte this week ahead of President Obama’s address on Thursday night (Friday morning, UK time) at the 74,000-seater Bank of America Stadium, normally used for American football.